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Ex-pat Deion Branch Defends Aaron Hernandez: ‘aaron Is A Great Guy’

WR Deion Branch looking for wins, not attention

Branch, who spent seven seasons with the Patriots and lives across the street from Hernandez in North Attleborough, Mass., told the Albany Herald that Hernandez is a great guy and he was shocked to hear of the murder charge. Branchs comments to the Herald during his eighth annual Skills and Drills camp offer an opposing view to those of former Patriots offensive lineman Matt Light, who said earlier this week that teammates never embraced Hernandez. From the report: Aaron is a great guy and a great friend of mine and a great teammate, Branch told The Herald I love him to death, and it was shocking to hear his name involved in this situation. I truly hope and pray he doesnt have any dealings with it. On Saturday, Branch didnt have anything negative to say about Hernandez. Thats my guy, man, Branch said of Hernandez. Thats my guy.

Deion Branch defends Aaron Hernandez: ‘great guy and a great friend of mine’

He’s won at least two Super Bowls, and he was the MVP the last time the Patriots won the NFL championship. Know who it is? “I’d have to say Tom,” New England safety Patrick Chung said Monday. Nope, not Tom Brady. The same question seemed to stump running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis for a few seconds, too.

He was a great kid. Overall, I hope the best that he isn’t involved with it and I hope he gets his name cleared, but most importantly I send my prayers and condolences out to the Lloyd family.” Lloyd’s funeral was held Saturday in Boston. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer Pallbearers carry the casket of Odin Lloyd following a funeral ceremony in Boston on Saturday. “Nobody deserves to walk, whoever the person is that did it,” Branch said. “Most of all what we as Americans need to understand is that is somebody’s child that was a victim. That’s somebody’s dad, and my prayers and thoughts go out to his family and hope that they bring whoever did this to their child Womens Deion Branch Authentic Jersey to justice, regardless of who it is.” Hernandez has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail.

Branch is ready to play if the Patriots call. Lloyd has said he’s not quite ready to play. (Although he was ready to act in a straight-to-DVD zombie movie .) Brady often has pointed out he doesn’t make the personnel decisions in New England. If the Patriots wanted Branch back, he’d be on the team by now. We fully expect Bill Belichick to roll with the guys they have, and hope that Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola get healthy soon.

Former Pats WR Deion Branch stands by Aaron Hernandez

“I love him to death, and it was shocking to hear his name involved in this situation. I truly hope and pray he doesn’t have any dealings with it.” Branch is a free agent after spending the past three years with the Patriots. He was acquired from the Seattle Seahawks in 2010 Hernandez’s rookie season with the Patriots. He lives across the street from Hernandez’s home in North Attleborough, Mass. PHOTOS: Hernandez investigation | Players arrested since Super Bowl Current Patriots have stayed quiet about the team’s former tight end, as he was released less than two hours after his arrest. The request for silence came from the team’s front office. The Patriots are also offering anyone with a Hernandez jersey the chance to exchange the jersey for another one.

Branch: Hernandez ‘great friend’

Worth that Sanders co-founded. Sanders was meeting with administrators at the Dallas-branch of the school when the subject of academic struggles among student athletes came up. Kevin Jefferson, the man who’s making the claims against Sanders, said that Deion got ‘a little upset and a little emotional’ when talking about the subject. Jefferson claims that Sanders emotions eventually turned into hostility. Here’s what Jefferson had to say about the incident, via the DMN: “He walked back to the back of the classroom to where I was sitting in a desk, Jefferson told Tanya Eiserer this morning. “As he got closer to me, I stood up because he was kind of standing over me and he just kind of kept talking to me and at me and then he just grabbed me by my throat and kind of threw me to the ground. Some people had to get him off of me.” Jefferson said he’s going to pursue his options with his attorney. Sanders is calling the allegations nonsense.

Report: Deion Sanders being investigated for possible assault

As the investigation moves forward, those charges could be upgraded. Whether it turns out to be Hernandez or not, Branch said whoever pulled the trigger should pay the price. “Nobody deserves to walk, whoever the person is that did it,” Branch said. “Most of all, what we as Americans need to understand is that is somebody’s child that was a victim. That’s somebody’s dad, and my prayers and thoughts go out to his family and hope that they bring whoever did this to their child to justice, regardless of who it is.” PHOTOS: Aaron Hernandez saga The life of Aaron Hernandez, 23, has been checkered by tragedy, triumph and controversy. Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports He was arrested June 26 by Massachusetts authorities in the midst of their investigation of the homicide of Odin Lloyd, an associate of Hernandez’s. AP/ESPN Hours later, Hernandez was charged with first-degree murder, five other weapons charges and ordered to be held without bail. USA TODAY Sports The body of Lloyd, 27, a semi-pro football player, was found in an industrial park about a half-mile from Hernandez’s North Attleborough, Mass., home June 17. AP Hernandez’s legal team again sought bail for its client June 27, but the ruling to deny it was upheld. Ted Fitzgerald, AP Reporters staked out Hernandez’s home shortly after his connection to Lloyd was established. Winslow Townson, USA TODAY Sports Satellite trucks also moved in near the property. Andrew Weber, USA TODAY Sports And police searched the house and its surrounding area multiple times following Lloyd’s death. Greg M. Cooper, USA TODAY Sports Authorities even called in divers to check a nearby pond and also scanned the grounds with metal detectors. Mark Stockwell, AP Connecticut police divers searched Pine Lake in Bristol, Hernandez’s hometown, looking for evidence July 29 and 30. The firearm used to kill Lloyd has not been found. Jessica Hill, AP Fullscreen It wasn’t long ago that Hernandez’s future appeared bright. He starred for Bristol (Conn.) Central High and set a state record with 1,799 receiving yards as a junior in 2005. The following year, he scored 17 TDs and was named to USA TODAY Sports’ All-USA squad as the first-team tight end for the 2006 season. Tom Lemming Hernandez chose to attend the University of Florida after high school and played three years (2007-09) for the Gators. Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports He caught five passes for 57 yards as Florida won the BCS title by beating Oklahoma to conclude the 2008 season. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY Sports Hernandez was a favorite target of Tim Tebow’s at Florida and briefly reunited with him when the New England Patriots signed the quarterback June 11. Sam Greenwood, Getty Images Hernandez earned the Mackey Award as college football’s top tight end following his junior season in 2009 when he caught 68 passes.

Tom Brady calls ex-Pats Deion Branch, Brandon Lloyd

(USA Today Sports Images) News started spreading about Odin Lloyd’s death and Aaron Hernandez ‘s possible involvement almost two weeks ago, and in that time it was hard to find a prominent person in Hernandez’s life that came forward and defended him publicly. Someone has finally spoken out in positive terms about Hernandez, who was charged with murder this week. Former Patriots teammate Deion Branch told the Albany Herald that the person being suspected of a brutal murder isn’t the same one he knew during his three seasons as Hernandez’s teammate. Aaron is a great guy and a great friend of mine and a great teammate, Branch told The Herald. I love him to death, and it was shocking to hear his name involved in this situation. I truly hope and pray he doesnt have any dealings with it. The Patriots have totally disassociated themselves with Hernandez, even going so far as to offer fans the chance to exchange Hernandez jerseys for new ones after the team released him. And most of the stories about Hernandez over the past couple weeks have not painted him in a positive light. But Branch, while showing respect to the Lloyd family and saying he hopes whoever killed Lloyd is brought to justice, expressed surprise that Hernandez could be involved. Thats my guy, man, Branch told The Herald.

Deion Branch calls Aaron Hernandez’s arrest and charge ‘shocking’

I love both of them, theyre good friends and great teammates but I havent talked to either one of them in a while. Rapoport tweeted early Sunday that Deion Branch has told Tom Brady hes ready whenever, hanging in Kentucky. Brandon Lloyd isnt yet. But he is acting in zombie movies. The last comment is in reference to Lloyds latest career venture, acting in a straight-to-DVD film titled After Effect, which stars Daniel Baldwin ( plenty of more info on that film is right here ). Last season, in his one year in New England, Lloyd had 74 receptions for 911 yards and four touchdowns. Meanwhile Branch, 34, remains a free agent. He played in 10 games last year for the Patriots, catching just 16 passes for 145 yards and zero touchdowns. Tom Brady and Brandon Lloyd (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) Despite the major drop-off from the days when Branch produced at a reasonably high level, what Brady would seek in Branch is simply a veteran who knows the playbook and wont make mental mistakes. Brady was visibly upset with his young receiving corps in Week 2 vs. the Jets, and with a Rob Gronkowski return date still unknown, and with Danny Amendola dealing with what sounds like a pretty serious groin injury, the idea was that Brady was feeling as though the time is now to add a reinforcement or two.

It really shocked me. He was a great kid. Overall, I hope the best that he isn’t involved with it and I hope he gets his name cleared, but most importantly I send my prayers and condolences out to the Lloyd family.” RELATED NEWS Pats offer free exchange for Hernandez jerseys “I love (Hernandez) to death, and it was shocking to hear his name involved in this situation,” Branch also said. “I truly hope and pray he doesn’t have any dealings with it. Hernandez was denied bail and will remain behind bars until his trial. Authorities also have two other men — 27-year-old Carlos Ortiz and 41-year-old Ernest Wallace — in custody for their alleged role in Lloyd’s death.